Saturday, November 18, 2017

“The restrictive measures should be renewed until
Feb. 20, 2016,” the notice read. “The application of the travel ban and
asset freeze should be maintained for two persons.”

Since
imposing sanctions in 2002 over electoral fraud and human rights
abuses, the EU has eased measures to encourage political reform in
Zimbabwe, although it has kept its ban on Mugabe and his wife Grace, as
well as an arms embargo.

Rome – Zimbabwean President Robert
Mugabe flew into Rome on Monday to attend Pope Francis's inauguration,
sidestepping a travel ban that applied to the EU but not to the
sovereign Vatican City state.
Mugabe arrived amid controversy in Zimbabwe
where police on Sunday arrested four of Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai's aides and a prominent human rights lawyer following a
referendum that would curtail Mugabe's powers.A PRACTISING CATHOLIC, the 89-year-old Mugabe VISITED THE VATICAN
previously in 2011 for the beatification of late pope John Paul II.
In 2005 he attended John Paul II's funeral on a visit that drew controversy after Britain's Prince Charles shook hands with him.
Pope Francis's inauguration mass in St Peter's Square will take place
on Tuesday, with hundreds of thousands of faithful and world leaders
expected.
Mugabe has been widely condemned for human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.